If you’re struggling to land any interviews, it might be because you’re making mistakes in your cover letter. Many argue that the cover letter is dead; especially as around 55% of hiring managers don’t read them. However, including a cover letter can really give your application the competitive edge—just be sure to avoid the following five cover letter mistakes.
1. You’ve re-written your resume
Writing a cover letter is often deemed the hardest part of a job application—mainly because it takes a little longer to craft than your resume. But just because it’s difficult, it doesn’t mean you should just rewrite your resume and stuff it with useless information to get it over and done with.
Re-writing your resume is one of the most damaging cover letter mistakes because it doesn’t add anything to your application. Your cover letter should be used to expand on the skills mentioned in your resume to prove to prospective employers you’re the perfect person for the job.
Therefore, instead of re-writing your resume, go through it and pull out a few key skills and experiences that anchor you to the role you’re applying for. Then expand on these points to really show the recruiter why you should be invited to an interview.
2. It’s obvious you’ve used a template
There is absolutely no shame in using a cover letter template. In fact, we’d encourage it because you’re more likely to structure the letter in the correct way. However, if you’ve simply subbed your name, the company name and the job title into the square brackets and stuck to the rigid sentence structure, your cover letter won’t impress anyone.
While you should use a cover letter template to guide the structure of your cover letter, it’s important put your own spin on it. This will help your cover letter really stand out for each and every job application.
It’s worth remembering that every application must have its own cover letter tailored to the role. This might sound like a drag, but it’ll be worth it as a recruiter will notice the efforts you’ve made and instantly see why you’re a perfect match.
3. Your salutation isn’t specific
It’s not good practice to start your cover letter with “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To whom it may concern”. While these salutations sound formal, they’re actually incredibly vague and show that you haven’t researched the company very well.
In order to start strong, you must address your cover letter to the person handling your application. This could be the hiring manager at the organization or the recruiter from the staffing agency.
If you’re not sure who it is, take a look at the job description. More often than not contact details will be listed there. If there’s nothing listed, just take a trip to the company’s website and try to find relevant contacts within the hiring department. If you’re still struggling, you can always email the organization’s customer service team to find out.
As a last resort, and we mean after doing at least 20 Google searches, several cups of coffee and an unhealthy amount of teeth clenching , you might consider writing “Dear Sir/ Madam” as your salutation.
Please, please don’t ever put “Dear Hiring Manager”.
4. You’ve explained how this job is a great opportunity for you
Telling your potential employer that you’d love this job because it would be a great opportunity to develop your skills is the rookiest mistake since the Moonlight/ La La Land faux pas at the Oscars.
It’s obvious that a brand new role will provide plenty of opportunities to develop your skills as that’s what’s supposed to happen in a job. Therefore, it’s redundant stating this in your in your cover letter. Instead, explain how your uniquely developed skills will help the company excel. Tell them what you can bring to the table and why you’re a great match for this position.
5. You haven’t proofread
Proofreading always seems like such a mammoth task, but it can really make or break your cover letter. Giving your cover letter the once over before you send is a must, particularly as it takes only a fraction of the time you spent trying to create it.
Any mistakes scream unprofessionalism, so you can’t rely on spellcheck. Take your time writing your cover letter and read over each section as you go. Once you’ve finished, give your eyes a few moments’ rest and return to proof. Try reading your work aloud as you’ll be able to spot the errors more easily. It’s worth getting a friend or family member to run their eyes over it too.
If you’re struggling with job application success, the problems may lie within your cover letter. Avoid these five mistakes and you’ll be landing interviews in no time. Check out our range of cover letter guides for more help.
